By Tim Poole

The veteran midfielder says he endured a difficult few months earlier this season but is delighted to have signed a new deal at the club he loves after proving his worth.

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has admitted he feared he would have to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old recently overtook Bobby Tambling as the Blues’ all-time record goalscorer and was rewarded with a one-year extension to his current contract on Thursday. Lampard revealed that he feared the worst about his Chelsea future earlier this year, during what had been an uncertain few months for him. The LA Galaxy had been reported to be interested in signing him as their third Designated Player this summer.

"There's no secret I wanted to stay here but there was a time, around January-February, when I thought I might have to move on,” Lampard told reporters. "I'd been injured through November, out for nearly two months this season. It was a funny time for me and the club were looking to move forward.

"It was more difficult off the pitch. When you go home you stew on things. I'd always been very secure here and had long-term contracts but it became different.

"It was up to me to get my head down and show I wanted to stay. I wasn't ever fed up with the club but it was a difficult situation."

Lampard openly admits that his first choice was always to stay at Stamford Bridge but feels an initial lack of communication is what took both parties so long to conclude an eventual deal.

"Sometimes communication is the best thing and then everything becomes clear," Lampard said. "Maybe there wasn't so much communication and then things get their own legs.

"Everyone knows my first choice was to stay here, and I didn't come completely close to anything else. I was always seeing out the season and I told my agent my desire was to stay.

“It would've been wrong of me to go and agree anything else while I was a Chelsea player. We've been speaking for a period of time.

“It's not just happened in the last couple of weeks but there were a few different things and I had to make sure what was right for me.

"I don't want to sound too desperate. I'm very settled here, I love living in the area, love the club and have a great relationship with everyone here. When you look at the big picture, who wouldn't want to stay here?"